New member from Montana!

[Pinchecharlie]

No blue water here but a few lakes lol! I’ve been fantasizing about island hopping in the Caribbean and spear fishing lol. So I need to learn to sail! Iam going to ask the dreaded questions but in a less ridiculous fashion. What would be the best way for me to learn? A laser? A hobbie style cat or a little trailer sailor like a Catalina 22? Iam financials stable griwn up mature guy who could actually afford a big boat and just leave but I better start small lol! Thanks we have very limited boats around here but I could travel and pick up a trailer sailor I suppose. I found a laser for 800 a catamaran for 1k and a few trailer sailboats from 1500-10k

[Diesel Bill]

Hi Pinchecharlie, Welcome aboard. Start small (cheap) and read everything sail related.
Enjoy a small boat and try to get time aboard larger boats to gain experience.
Maybe a few charters 1st to see how you like it.

[Sonny36]

If you live anywhere near Flathead Lake in Western MT, there's a marina at Dayton where you can rent small sailboats. There's Hauser Lake east of Helena that has a marina, but I don't know more details. Of course, in northern MT there's Fork Peck Reservoir, a sizeable body of water, but I don't know any marinas there, either.

[Sailmonkey]

There’s a sailing school on flathead. Never attended, but have seen it.

https://www.gosailmontana.com/

[Pinchecharlie]

Thanks for the replies! I’ve called them but just missed their season. We’re headed into fall here and our winters are pretty serious lol. I live a long way from flathead lake so was thinking of a sailing dinghy for the small lakes around me in south west Montana. I did look at a few schools on the internet in far away tropical places for fun but maybe I should try a few times first lol. When you live in the mountains and want to sail the world you read a lot. I bet I could sail a small boat now just from reading lol. Thanks again I’ll try and do the Ada 101 next spring after they start up again!

[jeanathon]

I would recommend the Catalina 22. The systems on that will be more similar to bigger boat systems than a laser. Also it can be a lot of fun camping out on it on a lake for the weekend.
My personal journey started with an Oday 22 that had no motor. I was advised to not put a motor on it if I really wanted to learn to sail. That has proven the best boating advise I have received.

[Pinchecharlie]

I’ve been trying to understand all the different 22’s and find a give away boat so I could get hands on. We just live inland so have less to see. It’s allways a bummer when I see good 22-25 deals in Florida or California lol. I may pick up a sailing dinghy so I can go any old time close to home while o keep looking for a pocket cruiser lol (that what you’d call it?)

[A la carte]

Like you are suggesting, I began by sailing small stuff. I learned the basics of sailing and found that the lines and setup of the small stuff transferred well to the larger boats. Racing is super for improving your sailing skills (and it's fun).

Numerous things to learn, all doable. As you get into something larger and get into larger waters, your understanding of boat systems, maintenance, navigation, anchoring, weather, tides/currents, and maritime regulations will necessarily need to increase.

[Adelie]

Welcome.

I would suggest updating your profile with your general location and your boat make & model or “Looking” in the "Boat" category. This info shows up under your UserName in every post in the web view. Many questions are boat and/or location dependent and having these tidbits under your UserName saves answering those questions repeatedly. If you need help setting up your profile then click on this link: https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3308797

I would happily help more if the link above is not enough.

I would suggest a Laser for a year, take it out for 2-3hr every other weekend.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Pinchecharlie

Thanks for the replies! I’ve called them but just missed their season. We’re headed into fall here and our winters are pretty serious lol. I live a long way from flathead lake so was thinking of a sailing dinghy for the small lakes around me in south west Montana. I did look at a few schools on the internet in far away tropical places for fun but maybe I should try a few times first lol. When you live in the mountains and want to sail the world you read a lot. I bet I could sail a small boat now just from reading lol. Thanks again I’ll try and do the Ada 101 next spring after they start up again!

For the little lakes and ponds around Bozeman, I’d be tempted to get something like a sunfish to learn on. It’s car topable with a short mast that’s easy to transport. You can dump it on grass to rig and slide it into the water, you can take it to canyon ferry or further to putt around on. And it’s cheap.

The laser suggestion also has some merit, but a laser is far less forgiving to a beginner. I’m a competitive sailor, but just don’t weigh enough to really control a full rig laser.

I originally started sailing on lake como south of Hamilton, got good sailing in college. The dinghy route, imho, is way better than a 22’ boat on a trailer.

[Tetepare]

The answer to all newbie questions is the same "Catalina 22"


We have a sunfish, we've had catamarans and dinghys, they are for summer or the young and stupid. Catalina 22 is warm and dry, you can sleep on it, you have a head.

ps. not to knock the young and stupid, it was great and I'd recommend it to anyone.

[JPA Cate]

My Jim started with a 15 footer and worked his way up to a Catalina 22 for a while. He sailed SF Bay with his first family on it, and trailered it to southern California and to Port Townsend, and sailed it with his family to Canada. Based on his experience, it seems a good place for someone to start. It gets you out on any body of water that allows boating.

"Pocket cruisers" are usually under 23 ft. Ones like the Flicka are 20. They can be trailered, but honestly, lots of trailering is hard on boats, and therefore you'd want to invest in a trailer that fits the boat well, supporting it well, and be prepared for the strong winds that trailering offers it (hard on fabrics).

Jim got into racing his Catalina, as well, and found that following the racers around proved educational. (Sail trim & racing rules.)

So welcome aboard CF, pinchecharlie.




Ann

[Pinchecharlie]

I won’t argue with anyone on their opinions because I honestly do not know what I’d be talking about lol. Can I say though that my “taste” just does not like the Catalina? I mean…I think they are a bit ugly. Sorry! Is there a more beautiful 22? For cheap? Lol (that was a joke) I understand though really I do. It’s like giving w kid a Subaru as a first car right? A 97 Subaru lol…

[JPA Cate]

The smaller you go, the easier it will be to set up for sailing. Jim's first 15 footer was an O'Day Osprey. O'Day made a slightly larger Daysailer, too.

What boats do you like the looks of?

My daughter's first car was a Renault Dauphine with an oil leak. Her money, her choice.


Ann

[Pinchecharlie]

Haha! I’ve been looking around quite a bit and my favorite boats all cost 120k dollars lol. I actually googled most beautiful lol. My criteria is a bit different. I do like the cape dory 22 and the other alberg, typhoons and? Seems like the class so to speak all kinda look the same . Iam not a sailor so I should not talk! I get confused when I look too. I allways feel like iam somehow wasting money if I don’t “upgrade” with small amounts of money? There are far more Catalina 27’s 29’s around and it seems like they are only 2-5k more. Sometimes less? I d like to find an easy dinghy sailboat to just go get wet now that my brain is full of sailboat stuff. Lol. The other thing I was bummed about is I don’t think I’ll be able to get a slip near by. So …I was wondering this, is it public land in a lake or bay or ocean? I mean can a guy do his own moorings? Tired and off to bed ! Was looking at the old wooden boats earlier. Now those are just fantastic.